City of Karratha

What City of Karratha does

The City of Karratha is a local government authority established in 1987 (rebranded from Shire of Karratha to City of Karratha in 2014 following regional population growth) and headquartered at Lot 1083 Welcome Road, Karratha, Western Australia, Australia. It serves as the statutory municipal council for the Pilbara region across six communities — Karratha, Dampier, Roebourne, Wickham, Cossack, and Point Samson — with a workforce of approximately 297 employees.

The City delivers a comprehensive portfolio of municipal services spanning waste management and recycling, road and footpath infrastructure, parks and recreation, planning and building approvals, public health and animal management, emergency preparedness (cyclones, fire, flood), libraries, leisure and aquatic facilities, youth services, and arts/cultural programming. Notable cultural assets include the Cossack Art Awards (positioned as Australia's richest regional art prize, sponsored by Rio Tinto) and the Red Earth Arts Festival (REAF), a four-day annual festival with Rio Tinto as Principal Partner. The City also operates or wholly owns Karratha Leisureplex, Wickham Recreation Precinct, Roebourne Aquatic Centre, Karratha Libraries, Karratha Airport, and the Red Earth Arts Precinct.

Revenue is generated primarily through local government rates on residential and commercial properties (using GRV and UV differential rating categories, billed annually with a 30 June due date), statutory fees and charges (building, planning, animal registration), and ancillary user-pay fees such as camping at 40 Mile and Cleaverville. Distribution is multi-channel: a Welcome Road administration counter, an online services portal for transactions, branch libraries, recreation facilities, visitor centres, and a 'What We Make It' community engagement platform. Marketing channels include the official website, interest-segmented e-newsletters, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube. The City is governed by elected councillors including a Deputy Mayor (Jodie Swaffer) and Directors (Chloe Morris) plus elected Councillors (Daiva Gillam), and operates under the Local Government Act 1995 (WA). Financial figures are not publicly disclosed in source data.

Name

City of Karratha

Legal name

City of Karratha

Website

https://karratha.wa.gov.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

The City of Karratha is a Western Australian local government authority serving approximately six Pilbara-region towns (Karratha, Dampier, Roebourne, Wickham, Cossack, Point Samson) with ~297 employees, delivering municipal services including rates administration, recreation, libraries, and arts programming funded through property rates and statutory fees.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Karratha

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Rates and taxes: Local government rates levied on residential and commercial properties within the City of Karratha boundary. This is the primary source of recurrent funding for council operations.
2. Fees and charges: Various statutory fees, service charges, licensing fees, building application fees, planning fees, and other council service fees.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The City of Karratha is a local government authority delivering municipal services to residents and businesses across the Pilbara region of Western Australia, including waste management, road and park infrastructure, planning and building approvals, libraries, aquatic and recreation centres, arts and cultural programs, animal management, public health, emergency management for cyclones and bushfires, youth services, camping facilities, and airport operations. Service delivery spans multiple towns — Karratha, Dampier, Roebourne, Wickham, Cossack, and Point Samson — and is funded primarily through property rates and statutory fees and charges.

Product overview

City of Karratha operates as a local government entity providing community services, recreational facilities, arts and culture programs, and public services to the Pilbara region. The organization's offerings span arts and culture programs including the Cossack Art Awards (annual art competition with exhibition and workshop components) and the Red Earth Arts Festival (four-day annual arts festival); library services across Karratha, Dampier, and Wickham; aquatic and leisure facilities including Karratha Leisureplex, Wickham Recreation Precinct, and Roebourne Aquatic Centre; youth development programs through The Base, The Youth Shed, and Youth Advisory Group; outdoor recreation including camping at 40 Mile and Cleaverville; and digital municipal services for rate payments, animal registrations, and development application tracking.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Red Earth Arts Festival: Annual four-day arts and cultural festival celebrating artistic creativity in the Pilbara region, with Principal Partner Rio Tinto
• Cossack Art Awards
• Karratha Leisureplex
• Wickham Recreation Precinct
• Red Earth Arts Precinct
• The Base
• The Youth Shed

Products and services

• Cossack Art Awards Annual art awards program featuring exhibitions, workshops, and prize categories for Pilbara-based artists across various mediums including painting, works on paper, and indigenous art.
• Red Earth Arts Festival (REAF) Four-day annual arts festival celebrating artistic creativity in the Pilbara region, featuring performers, sculptors, dancers, musicians, and visual artists across venues spanning Karratha to Dampier, Roebourne, Wickham, Cossack, and Point Samson.
• Karratha Libraries Public library services offering story time, rhyme time, youth programs, and community events across Karratha, Dampier, Roebourne, and Wickham locations.
• Karratha Leisureplex Aquatic and leisure center offering pools, fitness facilities, and community health and wellness activities.
• Wickham Recreation Precinct Multi-purpose recreation facility serving the Wickham community with sporting and leisure amenities.
• Roebourne Aquatic Centre Public swimming pool and aquatic facility serving the Roebourne community.
• Youth Services Youth development programs including The Base, The Youth Shed, Youth Advisory Group (YAG), school holiday activities, and youth awards and events, targeting young people aged 10-17.
• Online Services Portal Digital services enabling rate payments, animal registrations (cats and dogs), development applications tracking, number plates, fine payments, appeals, and other municipal transactions.
• Camping at 40 Mile (Gnoorea Point) Coastal camping area known for quality fishing and natural beauty at Gnoorea Point, with per-night/site fees.
• Camping at Cleaverville Popular camping and day-trip destination featuring off-beach fishing spots, with per-night/site fees.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered principal partner and core sponsor.

• Rio Tintoprincipal partnerStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Rio Tinto is the Principal Partner for the Red Earth Arts Festival (REAF), a four-day arts and cultural festival held annually in Karratha. The partnership supports artistic and creative development in the Pilbara region, with the 2024 festival running from 9 May to 12 May 2024.
• Rio Tintocore sponsorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRio Tinto sponsors the Cossack Art Awards, specifically the Painting Open Theme award category worth $8,000. The Cossack Art Awards are a significant annual arts prize nationally and a highlight on the regional cultural calendar.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Shire of Ashburton: Shire of Ashburton is a Pilbara regional local government authority covering Onslow and Tom Price, sharing the same mining-exposed economy, remote service delivery model, and indigenous community engagement requirements as City of Karratha.
• City of Port Hedland: Town of Port Hedland is the neighbouring Pilbara local government authority, sharing the same mining-driven economy, remote geography, and resource industry workforce. Both councils manage ports, airports, and community services for comparable populations.
• Shire of East Pilbara: Shire of East Pilbara covers Newman and Marble Bar, sharing the Pilbara region's mining economy, remote service delivery challenges, and indigenous community composition. Comparable operational scale and economic base to City of Karratha.

Broad incumbents

• City of Cockburn: City of Cockburn is a large WA metropolitan local government that, like Karratha, manages waste collection, libraries, leisure centres, and youth services. Comparable service delivery model at a larger scale.
• City of Swan: City of Swan is a large WA local government operating across multiple townships with comparable recreational, cultural, and community service offerings. Similar statutory responsibilities and council governance model.

Regional players

• City of Albany: City of Albany is a regional WA local government offering a comparable portfolio of waste, recreation, libraries, and cultural facilities. Tourism and regional community development are both core service areas.
• City of Mandurah: City of Mandurah is a coastal WA local government with comparable scale and a diversified portfolio of leisure, library, and community services. Both councils operate aquatic centres and major recreation facilities.
• City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder: City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder is a regional WA local government serving a gold mining economy with similar resource-town dynamics, small population base, and remote service delivery challenges. Both councils serve tight-knit mining communities.
• City of Greater Geraldton: City of Greater Geraldton is a mid-sized regional WA local government that, like Karratha, manages an airport, leisure facilities, libraries, and arts/cultural programs. Regional service delivery model and council scale are comparable.
• City of Bunbury: City of Bunbury is a regional WA local government operating an airport, leisureplex, libraries, and arts venues with a comparable resident population and service mandate. Similar operational model to City of Karratha.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cityofkarratha
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/city-of-karratha
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCIb5x_iwfNlrIVWl65OwaWA

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about City of Karratha